Overview

The book offers a brief plot synopsis, a double-page graphic overview and insight into the text, a short introduction to major characters and themes and a who's who in the text - introducing a cameo icon for each major character. It explains major and minor themes in the texts - introducing thematic icons, gives a detailed commentary on the text, linked closely to the text for ease of reference, and features icons to enable flexible following of themes and characters. There is also a self-test quiz for each ...

Audiobook CD Good 0788742167 Up for sale is a used book in good condition. This book has been previously owned and is blemished. The cover has some rubbing with corner and ...binding wear. The interior has page markings (highlighting/writing) and the previous owner's name. There is an inventory sticker on the back and a used sticker on the spine. The textblock has a marking.Read moreShow Less

More About
This Book

Overview

The book offers a brief plot synopsis, a double-page graphic overview and insight into the text, a short introduction to major characters and themes and a who's who in the text - introducing a cameo icon for each major character. It explains major and minor themes in the texts - introducing thematic icons, gives a detailed commentary on the text, linked closely to the text for ease of reference, and features icons to enable flexible following of themes and characters. There is also a self-test quiz for each section, focusing on skills that will be required for coursework and exams and a checklist of important quotes. Guidance on structure and content of exam essays is given with examples of questions.

Seemingly the only person left alive after a nuclear war, a sixteen-year-old girl is relieved to see a man arrive into her valley until she realizes that he is a tyrant and she must somehow escape.

Your Rating:

Your Recommendations:

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked,
or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to
Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original
and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you
and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not
violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help
ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer.
However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or
to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the
information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reminder:

- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its
sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the
review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.

- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly
those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com
also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.

My Book Review~~~!!!!

I thought that this book wasnt very good. At my age it just wasn't interesting...IT lacked excitment.It just seemed like you knew what was going to happen next. A couple of parts were ok... BUT over all it wasn't my favorite, and i wouldn't recomend it.!!

11 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

WallaWallaAli

Posted June 9, 2010

A scary possible reality

In Z for Zachariah Ann Burden one of the main characters, gets left alone in the valley after her parents and dog disappeared to look for survivors from a nuclear war. She was left alone to take care of the cows and the chickens. A year has past since the incident and for all she knows she is the soul survivor. Faro the dog finally returned skinny and weak. Faro didn't die from radiation because he was up in the hills hiding. This all changes when John Loomis the other main character enters the valley. He then got radiation sickness for bathing in the wrong creek and fell ill. Ann Burden came to his rescue and helped him to recover. Ann Burden felt caring and not alone anymore after so long. Over the last couple of days Ann realizes how much she doesnt know anything about Loomis. Except that he had a conflict with Edward that Loomis talks about in his dream. When she finally tries to get Loomis to open up and get to know him. That all changes when when Loomis finally recovers and his true side comes out. She is then faced with harsh reality when Loomis tries to capture her and keep her held prisoner in her own home. I would recommend this book to people who like survival stories because during the whole book Ann Burden is faced with the lack of fresh food, Loomis trying to capture her, and taking care of the animals.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

A great read

I picked up this book and read it because my partner had to read it for school and initially, I wanted to help. The fact is, I picked it up and couldn't put it down, took only a couple of hours. For me it was an all too possible reality for the world in which we currently live. This wasn't just zombies or overrule by vampires or something akin to that, it's fallout after biological/nuclear war. I was intrigued by the main female character and the steps she took toward her own survival. Both pro- and antagonists were well developed and you could, potentially side with either although you have more sympathy with the girl.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

StoryObsessed87

Posted November 8, 2011

Interesting read

If you are a fan of post apocalyptic fiction than this is a must read. I thought it was pretty realistic and I thought it to be very interesting. A bit scary to think about but nonetheless entertaining. Its a quick and easy read with a very easy story to follow.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Book_Girl_A-J-P

Posted October 5, 2011

Amazing!

You must read this! This book gives a really good detail of her life. I had to read this for my english class and I had a great time reading this.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Sierra_0001

Posted December 9, 2010

Had to read it for an English assignment. It's a horrible book.

I hated it. I mean, It could just be because I'm not really into science-fiction, but there was about 1 good part, and it was in the end of the book. And then her name isn't even Zachariah, it's Ann. I just think it was horribly written.

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted April 9, 2014

Number of stars (1 to 5): 5
Introduction
Anne Burden survived t

Number of stars (1 to 5): 5

IntroductionAnne Burden survived the nuclear outbreak. She is alone or is she?Description and summary of contentAnne Burden survived the nuclear outbreak. Her family left her to go find human life. But never returned. There is someone else in the area.

EvaluationThis is a great book I would recommend this to anybody. There is always action and mystery it is a book I couldn’t turn away from. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way though the book.ConclusionThis is a great book I think that people who were interested in it should defiantly read it. I thought this was a great book full of action. It has mystery, adventure, and fright.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted August 21, 2013

This is not a book for 7th grade 12 and 13 year olds. Its is fu

This is not a book for 7th grade 12 and 13 year olds. Its is full of ADULT CONTENT. IT is geared towards ADULTS NOT MIDDLE SCHOOLERS.

According to Sally Conly, Z for Zachariah was her husband's second novel intended for adults.Here is a quick rundown of the book. Feel free to search out the cliff notes on the internet. The setting is post Nuclear Holocaust based illness, death, mental torture and inhumane survival tactics used by two remaining survivors. The characters are a Science Professor from a well know University (35-45 yr old male) and a 16 year old girl from a rural town. There is a sexual assault ( alluded too), use of guns, physical fighting and threats that if the girl leaves - the male aggressor will kill her. He uses psychological torture... male against female. Violence and possessiveness are portrayed vividly throughout this book. Mind games and mental torture are the base of the plot.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

PattiBerteotti

Posted November 29, 2010

Highly recommended

My teacher read this to the class in 1977. I read it to my son in 1997, my daughter in 2002 and to another daughter in 2007. It was inspiring and thought provoking. My children loved it and I have since passed the book onto their school library. It captures the attention and imagination. I would highly recommend this book.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

logan_howze

Posted September 29, 2009

I Also Recommend:

Z for Zachariah by Robert C.O'Brien

One year after a nuclear war ends a girl named Ann Burden is living in a

cave that is on the hillside of a valley, where her hometown is. The

valley where she is living was somehow not affected by the radiation. She

thinks that she is the only one left on earth, until one day she sees a

man in a radiation suit come over the ridge into the valley. She watches

him for a while until he gets sick from radiation poisoning, and she

takes care of him, he tells her his name is John R. Loomis. Soon after he

is feeling better John begins to go crazy, and starts watching Ann

obsessively. One night he tries to rape her, so she runs away. Ann sneaks

back later to try and get food, and he shoots her in the ankle and she

ran for her life. Later on Ann returns and steals John's radiation suit

to escape the valley. John threatens to shoot her, and then Ann remembers

what John had told her about Edward while he was sick. So she reminds him

of his friend Edward that he had killed, which stops him from shooting

her. John tells her to go west where he had seen birds. She leaves hoping

to find more people.

In my opinion I think that this is a really good book. The reason I think

its good is because it makes you wonder as you read. Like is there

anybody alive outside the valley, what started the war, and does Ann ever

find other people. Another reason I like this book is it puts you on the

edge in some parts; an example is every time you find out that the smoke

columns get closer, and as Ann is running from John. This was a very

thrilling book that I think people should read.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com

Sixteen-year-old Ann Burden has been living on her own for a year, since the nuclear bombs turned everything surrounding her little valley into a wasteland, and her parents drove out to find other survivors... and never came back. Knowing she may be the only person left, Ann struggles with her loneliness and tends to the farm as best she can. But then a man comes over the hills in a protective suit and arrives in the valley. At first he provides Ann with welcome companionship, but as he recovers from a bout of radiation sickness, his actions become more sinister. <BR/><BR/>Z FOR ZACHARIAH is an intense, heart-pounding read. From the moment Ann first sees smoke rising from beyond the valley, each development wrenches her further and further from the life she's adjusted to--seemingly for good, and then with terrible consequences. The pacing is perfect, and with the story being told through Ann's journal entries, every event feels immediate. The personal details and unflinching descriptions of life after a nuclear war make the story even more gripping. As the tension escalates, readers will find it incredibly hard to put the book down before they discover Ann's ultimate fate. While the story leaves this somewhat open-ended, Ann's ultimate victory will make them cheer. <BR/><BR/>Ann is a likable narrator, with a natural voice and a well-developed personality. It's easy to sympathize with her based on her situation alone, but she is all the more admirable for refusing to give up even in the most desperate circumstances. She deals with her problems with intelligence and courage, but still has those moments of carelessness and fear that make her human. Readers will be on her side from the beginning, even as they struggle to imagine how they would feel in her place. Though her final triumph involves some loss, it's clear Ann will persevere and find a way to survive and be happy, which makes the ending satisfying. <BR/><BR/>Z FOR ZACHARIAH is a story that will haunt readers long after they've put down the book. It shows both the good and the bad that can emerge from human nature in the face of catastrophe, and gives hope that even in the worst situations, there are those who will remain strong.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted August 4, 2008

Great Book

This book was so good that I had to read it again for a second time. Books are usually boring and hard to get into for me, but this one was an adventure!

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted July 12, 2008

H for horrible

I had to read this book for a lit cirlce this year. This is one of the worst books I have ever read in my whole life! It was good in the beginning but turned bad quickly. There was a lot of useless details,it was boring,the plot was dry and weird and the story didn't make sense half the time. It sounds good but it's not. I do not recommend it for anyone.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted October 31, 2007

surprise ending

Z for Zachariah started out a little slow, but eventually got moving to the point where you always wanted to keep reading. The diary format was very well written and always kept you guessing, as it was written just like someone was writing a day by day diary, never knowing what was going to happen next. The ending is very unexpected, but yet it was a little disappointing. Even with the disappointing ending, it was still a great book.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted August 6, 2007

Good

I have to say it's not what I expected,but it was very good.their was only one part that I truly disliked and that was the ending were they leave you hanging

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted September 8, 2007

i recommend this book highly

This is a great book although it is slightly boring in the begining. Then it comes to be very exciting. It is also a book about what could happen in the near future the way wars are going.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted March 28, 2007

Horrible

Ann may be the only person left on the planet after there was a Nuclear bomb from the war. Her family left to check things out and never came back. If this really happened to somebody they would be heartbroken and ready to die, so the author didn't do a good enough job describing any of the pain that Ann may have been feeling. Many of her journal entries didn't flow well together and many parts made no sense. This book was a huge disapointment becuase I was hoping we would be reading a good book. I would not recommend this book to anybody because that would mean having many disapointed people. It was weird and not worth anybody's time.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted November 15, 2006

an amazing book that i recomend!!

this a a really great book and i recommend it 100% its about a girl and her family living during a war then her family goes off to find any survivers from the war but when they dont return Zachariah is alone no one else in the world is alive,so she thinks. she has been by herself for 3 months now every night for those months she has noticed a smoke getting closer and closer each time. then she realizes there is someone else out there and she is worryed should she take her risk and talk to him and he be some crazy man or should she keep to herself as he stays in her home as she lives in a cave behind the house. if this you are on the edge of your seat and want to find out more about this book then i suggest you read it

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted October 29, 2006

Z for Zachariah

Z for Zachariah is an amazing book!! It is always keeping you on your toes. There is only about 2 or 3 parts in the book that gets boring but its all worth it by the end! I recomend this book highly because this book is a mix of mystery, suspense, and education. This book teaches you about Nuclear bombs, radiation sicknes, the war and the gyger counters. Its all about these three main characters Ann Burden, Mr. Loomis, and her brothers dog ,Faro. You should read this book its very good!!

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Anonymous

Posted October 24, 2006

Z for Zachariah (I reccomend it for all ages)if you like stories with great details and topics you should read this book.

Z for Zachariah is a great story written by Robert C O¿Brien. The war just ended when her parents go to check for any signs of life. The nuclear bomb has destroyed everything as Zachariah learned when her parents never come back. A days pass and Zachariah discovers that she is not the only person left alive (to survive the aftermath of the bomb). She soon realizes that it is a man and that he is making progress to the valley where she lives. Zachariah helps Mr. Loomis survive the way that she survives Robert C O¿Brien¿s way of adding and taking characters from the story is astonishing (He makes some characters die and adds new ones in).He does a great job of giving every detail needed to easily understand the theme. O¿Brien does a great job at making average peoples lifestyles seem so story like. His words give you a vivid descriptive picture in your mind. The author O¿Brien uses vivid story information. He uses details that are not really accentual but show the background information very well. The way he puts his words together help me to picture his excerpt in my mind. This is a great story I recommend this story for all ages.

Was this review helpful? YesNoThank you for your feedback.Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.